[1] The present invention relates to a rainwater harvesting system and assembly.

Background of the Invention

[2] Figure 1(a) shows an illustration of a normal creek or river water level 10a along the banks 12 being a denuded watershed area. Figure 1 (b) shows the water level 10b during a flash flood event, such as after hard rain or water release from a dam. Water level 10b spills onto the banks 12 leading to soil and nutrients erosion and mud plumes.

[3] The present invention seeks to overcome or substantially ameliorate at least some of the deficiencies of the prior art, or to at least provide an alternative.

[4] It is to be understood that, if any prior art information is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the information forms part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia or any other country.

Summary of the Invention

[5] According to a first aspect, the present invention provides a reservoir box, the box comprising an elongate hollow rectangular cross section body having sides walls, a bottom wall, and a top wall which together define an internal volume and open ends, wherein the side walls include lateral connection formations which are shaped and disposed to lock with the lateral connection formations of a laterally adjacent second box, and the side walls include vertical connection formations for connection of vertically stacked boxes.

[6] Preferably, the lateral connection formations include spaced dovetail formations which are shaped and disposed to lock with the dovetail formations of a laterally adjacent box.

[7] Preferably, the dovetail formations on a right side wall of the box are adapted to connect and lock with the dovetail formations on a left side wall of the box, such that left and right side walls of adjacent boxes can be connected to each other.

[8] Preferably, the vertical connection formations include upper extending flanges adjacent each respective side wall and shaped recesses adjacent the lower portions of the side walls, wherein the upper extending flanges are adapted to connect and lock with the shaped recesses, such that the upper flanges of a lower box can lock with the shaped recesses of an upper box.

[9] Preferably, wherein a first open end of the box includes a perimeter extension and the second open end includes a perimeter recess, wherein the perimeter extension is adapted to be received in the perimeter recess, such that the first open end of one box can be connected to the second open end of another box to connect the boxes to each other and connect their internal volumes

[10] Preferably, the reservoir box further includes end plates for covering and sealing the open ends thereof, the endplates having the lateral connection formations of the box.

[11] Preferably, the reservoir box further comprises reinforcement frames which include frame members which are shaped similar to the cross-section shape of the box, the frame members including the lateral connection formations and the vertical connection formations.

[12] The invention in another aspect provides an assembly constructed using reservoir boxes according to the above, wherein the boxes are connected end to end, lateral side by lateral side, and vertically stacked as needed to form the required volume with open ends of the boxes sealed as needed, wherein the side walls are perforated as needed, and bottom walls and top walls are cut as needed to combine the internal volumes of the boxes.

[13] Preferably, the assembly further comprising frames used as a scaffold to reinforce the connected boxes, the reinforcement frames including frame members which are shaped similar to the cross-section shape of the box, the frame members including the lateral connection formations and the vertical connection formations

[14] In one embodiment, the top walls of the topmost boxes are cut to include an opening and the top wall is provided with hydroponic material for horticultural use.

[15] In another embodiment, the top walls of the topmost boxes include pavers thereon.

[16] Preferably, the assembly further includes hollow plastic cylinders to connect ends of boxes to allow for change in orientation of the connected boxes.

[17] Preferably, the transition cylinders include filter material contained therein.

[18] Preferably, the assembly further includes a wind turbine comprising an anchor section, a support section and a turbine, wherein the anchor section is for embedding and anchoring into the ground, the support section houses rechargeable batteries for a pump located at its base, and the turbine comprises a rotor/stator tube with spaced torus shaped magnets and spaced torus shaped wound wires between the magnets, wherein the wires are rotated with the turbine at which electricity is induced therein, the wind turbine used to power a pump for moving the water in the assembly. .

[19] Other aspects of the invention are also disclosed. Brief Description of the Drawings

[20] Notwithstanding any other forms which may fall within the scope of the present invention, preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of examples only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[21] Figure 1 are cross section illustrations of (a) a typical river bank, (b) a river bank during a flash flood scenario, (c) a construction according to the present invention

[22] Figure 2 is a cross section illustration of an example construction according to the present invention,

[23] Figure 3 shows (a) perspective view and (b) end view of a reservoir box,

[24] Figure 4 shows sealing of ends of the reservoir box,

[25] Figure 5 shows how the reservoir boxes are joined/attached to each other,

[26] Figure 6 reinforcement frames for the reservoir boxes,

[27] Figure 7 shows details of the wind turbine (a) is an elevation view, (b) is an enlarged view of the turbine,

[28] Figures 8 and 9 show alternative constructions according to the present invention,

[29] Figure 10 shows use of the box as a hydroponic reservoir or trough,

[30] Figure 11 shows end connection formations for the boxes,

[31] Figure 12 shows (a) perspective view and (b) side cross-section view of a shredding assembly 200 using the box,

[32] Figure 13 shows another construction according to the present invention,

[33] Figure 14 shows (a) using a hollow cylinder to provide a transition change in direction and (b) shows the cylinder,

Description of Embodiments

[34] It should be noted in the following description that like or the same reference numerals in different embodiments denote the same or similar features.

[35] Figure 1(c) shows a construction 100 according to the present invention comprising a built up embankment levee 16 on the banks 12 which forms a water retention channel 14. The water retention channel 14 can be used as a diversion levee to direct water overflow thereto, for retaining water which can be used for irrigation supply or water supply during bush fires.

[36] Figure 2 shows further details of the embankment levee 16. The embankment levee 16 is constructed using shaped reservoir boxes 20, reinforcement frames 30 and an alternative reinforced concrete composite 40 such as that described in Applicant’s Australian patent application 2017285471. The reservoir boxes 20 are hollow and fluidly connected to each other to retain water therein. The boxes 20 and frames 30 are used to build up the levee 16, with the concrete composite 40 laid on top and the sides thereof to bury the boxes 20 and frames 30.

[37] The construction 100 also includes a wind turbine 60 for powering a pump for the water collected in the water retention channel 14. The wind turbine 60 is described below.

[38] Figure 3 shows the reservoir boxes 20 which in the embodiment are elongate, hollow and have a generally rectangular cross section. Each box 20 has sides walls 22, a bottom wall 24, and a top wall 25 which together define an internal volume 21 and open ends 31 .

[39] The side walls 22 include spaced dovetail formations 23 which are shaped and disposed to lock with the formations 23 of a laterally adjacent box 20. The dovetail formations 23 of a right side wall 22 of one box 20 will connect and lock with the dovetail formations 23 of a left side wall 22 of another box 20 for example. The dovetail formations 23 have apertures 29 extending through their length for cables. The formations 23 thus form lateral connection formations between laterally adjacent boxes 20. It is to be understood that the lateral connection formations can be embodied in other forms such as correspondingly shaped snap fit formations such as dowels and sockets. When the boxes are connected via the lateral connection formations, the bottom walls 24 of the connected boxes are aligned along a common horizontal plane

[40] The top wall 25 includes upper extending flanges 26 adjacent each respective side wall 22. The lower portions of the side walls 22 include shaped recesses 33 which are shaped to lock with the flanges 26 of another box 20. The bottom wall 24 of an upper box 20 is dimensioned to be received on the top wall 25 of a lower box 20, with the upper flanges 26 of the lower box 20 locking with the shaped recesses 33 of the upper box 20. The flanges 26 and the shaped recesses 33 are shaped correspondingly to provide this locking connection. The flanges 26 and the shaped recesses 33 thus form corresponding vertical connection formations between vertically stacked boxes 20. It is to be understood that the vertical connection formations can be embodied in other forms such as other correspondingly shaped snap fit formations, including dowels and sockets. When the boxes are connected via the vertical connection formations, the side walls 22 of the connected boxes are aligned along a common vertical plane.

[41] The boxes 24 are typically made from recycled plastics material and are designed to be watertight to hold rainwater therewithin. Figure 4 illustratively shows sealing of the open ends 31 via end plates 28 which can be attached thereto with a suitable sealant adhesive or via plastic welding. The endplates 28 also include the lateral connection formations such as the dovetail formations 23 on its outer surface with apertures 29 for cables as needed. The dovetail formations 23 in the endplates 28 allows for connection to the side wall 22 or the endplate 28 of another box as needed. The end plates 28 thus has a similar profile as the side walls 22 of the box 20.

[42] As shown in Figure 5, the walls of the boxes 20 are thus shaped to lock with an adjacent box 20 to its side walls 22 (sidewall to side wall via the lateral connection formations), bottom wall 24 or top wall 25 (bottom wall to top wall via the vertical connection formations). The top wall 25 and side walls 22 can be designed to have perforations to act as water filters. Open ends 26 of boxes 20 can be joined via a weatherproof joining tape 32 to join the junction thereof which joins and expands the internal volumes 21. As shown in Figure 11, one open end 31 of each box 20 can include a perimeter extension 41 and the other open end 31 of each box 20 can include a perimeter recess 43. The perimeter extension 41 of one box 20 can be received in the perimeter recess 43 of another box 20 to assist with connecting the boxes 20 to each other and connecting their internal volumes 21 using silicone adhesives.

[43] Figure 6 shows an example of reinforcement frames 30 which include frame members 32. The frame members 32 are shaped similar to the cross-section shape of a box 20 and thus include the lateral connection formations and the vertical connection formations such as the corresponding dovetail formations 23, upper extensions 26, and side wall lower portion recesses 33, for joining with the connection formations of a box 20 or another frame member 32. The frame members 32 are connectable in a spaced manner via rods 34 in the apertures 29 as needed to form reinforcement support for the boxes 20 as a scaffold

[44] Figure 7 shows the wind turbine 60 which comprises an anchor section 62, a support section 64 and a turbine 66. The anchor section 62 is for embedding and anchoring into the ground via cement or the alternative reinforced concrete composite described above. The support section 64 houses rechargeable batteries for a pump 65 located at its base. The pump is used for the collected water. The turbine 66 comprises a rotor/stator tube 67 with spaced torus (donut) shaped magnets 68 and spaced torus shaped wound wires 69 between the magnets 68. The wires 69 are rotated with the turbine 66 at which electricity is induced therein. Additional rechargeable batteries are housed in the tube 67.

[45] To assemble the construction 100 for example, boxes 20 are connected end to end, lateral side by lateral side, and vertically stacked as needed to form the required volume. Open ends of the boxes are sealed with the end plates 28 as needed. The side walls 22 can be perforated by drilling as needed, and bottom walls 24 and top walls 25 can be cut to be opened as needed. This allows water flowing into the construction 100 or seeping though the soil next to the construction 100 to be captured by the combined internal volumes 21 thereof for use as needed. The frames 30 can be used as a scaffold to reinforce the connected boxes and the pump 60 can be used to move the water stored in the internal volumes 21.

[46] Figure 8 shows an alternative construction at which reservoir box assemblies 81 are spaced along an embankment 80, with garden beds 85 formed on top of the assemblies 81 and footpaths 83 formed between the assemblies 81. As shown in Figure 10, the top wall 25 can be cut to include an opening 51 and provided with filtering media liner to place hydroponic material or soil 53 for horticultural use. The box 20 provides water storage for the plant through capillary action of stored water.

[47] In an alternative use, the box 20 or a series of connected boxes 20 with top openings 51 can be used as water storage trough for farm animals.

[48] Figure 9 shows another alternative construction at which footpath 84 is formed on top of an assembly 81. Pavers are mounted on the top walls 25 of the boxes 20.

[49] Figure 12 shows an assembly 200 comprising boxes 20 arranged in a stacked manner to support a shredder 210 and provide storage 220 for plastic and waste processing, or for storing washed pelletized plastic waste material. The material to be shredded goes into the shredder 210 designed in a V shape funnel shape with two level of shredder jaws (upper and lower); the upper jaws 212 are with bigger cutters rotates opposite to that of the lower jaws 214; the bigger cutter blades cut thicker while the lower smaller blades cuts to pellet size.

[50] The shredded material are then let down to a cylinder 216 below with a small screw conveyor for the pellet to be channelled via a discharge hose 218 by pump air towards a small washer-dryer chamber 220 using filtered water from a recycled water tank 222 with two layers of water taken from the harvested rainwater. Washed pelletized plastic and waste at the farm are vacuumed toward the storage bin 220 which materials can be used for farm use.

[51] Figure 13 shows a construction 300 where boxes 20 are arranged to provide an embankment for rainwater harvesting. The boxes 20 are embedded in the soil together with engineered and reinforced soil for foundation and stability. The boxes 20 are designed for water harvesting of runoff water and seepage water in the soil, functioning as a cut off system of both surface and seepage water in the soil. The boxes 20 are laid on the slope ground by a designed level contour.

[52] To provide changes in the direction of the boxes 20, hollow plastic cylinders 90 (Figure 14) are used to connect ends of boxes 20. The cylinders 90 can be cut and welded to the boxes 20 at the required orientation. The boxes 20 are thus transitioned in the terrain using a plastic cylindrical box 90 of same material as the box. The same transition cylinders 90 can also be used for filtration using perlite or expanded glass sand material contained there. A lid 92 on top of the transition cylinder 90 is designed for servicing, checking water levels, etc. The windpole 60 is used for energy supply for drawing filtered water from the boxes 20 through the transition cylinder 90.

[53] Although a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described, it will be apparent to skilled persons that modifications can be made to the embodiment shown.